L-nucleosides incorporated into polymeric structure for stabilization of oligonucleotides

ABSTRACT

A method for stabilizing an oligonucleotide by including a β-L-2&#39;-deoxy-2&#39;-fluoro-arabinofuranosyl nucleoside at the 5&#39;-terminus, the 3&#39;-terminus, or in the interior of the oligonucleotide. The oligonucleotide can be used in the modulation of gene expression through a process wherein a synthetic oligonucleotide is hybridized to a complementary nucleic acid sequence to inhibit transcription or replication of DNA or to inhibit translation or processing of RNA.

This invention is in the area of methods for the treatment of hepatitis B virus (also referred to as "HBV") and Epstein-Bar Virus (referred to as "EBV") that includes administering an effective amount of one or more of the active compounds disclosed herein, or a pharmaceutically acceptable derivative or prodrug of one of these compounds.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Hepatitis B virus has reached epidemic levels worldwide. After a two to six month incubation period in which the host is unaware of the infection, HBV infection can lead to acute hepatitis and liver damage, that causes abdominal pain, jaundice, and elevated blood levels of certain enzymes. HBV can cause fulminant hepatitis, a rapidly progressive, often fatal form of the disease in which massive sections of the liver are destroyed. Patients typically recover from acute viral hepatitis. In some patients, however, high levels of viral antigen persist in the blood for an extended, or indefinite, period, causing a chronic infection. Chronic infections can lead to chronic persistent hepatitis. Patients infected with chronic persistent HBV are most common in developing countries. By mid-1991, there were approximately 225 million chronic carriers of HBV in Asia alone, and worldwide, almost 300 million carriers. Chronic persistent hepatitis can cause fatigue, cirrhosis of the liver, and hepatocellular carcinoma, a primary liver cancer.

In western industrialized countries, high risk groups for HBV infection include those in contact with HBV carriers or their blood samples. The epidemiology of HBV is in fact very similar to that of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, which accounts for why HBV infection is common among patients with AIDS or HIV-associated infections. However, HBV is more contagious than HIV.

HBV is second only to tobacco as a cause of human cancer. The mechanism by which HBV induces cancer is unknown, although it is postulated that it may directly trigger tumor development, or indirectly trigger tumor development through chronic inflammation, cirrhosis, and cell regeneration associated with the infection.

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a member of the genus Lymphocryptovirus, which belongs to the subfamily gammaherpesvirinae. It is notably lymphotropic. EBV has the classic structure of herpesviruses, viz., its double-stranded DNA genome is contained within an icosapentahedral nucleocapsid, which, in turn, is surrounded by a lipid envelope studded with viral glycoproteins. An amorphous tegument protein occupies the space between the envelope and the nucleocapsid.

All human herpesviruses infect and replicate within lymphocytes to some extent, but EBV does so efficiently. Most importantly, the pathogenesis and host responses to infection with EBV are more dependent upon lymphocytic infection than is evident with the other human herpesviruses.

EBV is now recognized as a cause of B-cell lymphoproliferative diseases, and has been linked to a variety of other severe and chronic illnesses, including a rare progressive mononucleosis-like syndrome and oral hairy leukoplakia in AIDS patients. The suggestion that EBV is a major cause of chronic fatigue has not withstood scrutiny.

EBV is primarily transmitted through the saliva, although some infections are transmitted by blood transfusion. More than 85% of patients in the acute phases of infectious mononucleosis secrete EBV.

EBV has been associated with cancer. At least two groups of patients are at risk for development of EBV-associated lymphomas: those who have received transplants of kidney, heart, bone marrow, liver, or thymus under the cover of immunosuppressive therapy, and patients with AIDS. EBV-associated cancers include Burkitt's Lymphoma and Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma.

In light of the fact that hepatitis B virus and Epstein-Barr virus have severe and often tragic effects on the infected patient, there remains a strong need to provide new effective pharmaceutical agents to treat humans infected with the viruses that have low toxicity to the host.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a compound, composition, and method for the treatment of hepatitis B virus.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a compound, composition, and method for the treatment of Epstein Barr virus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A method for the treatment of a host, and in particular, a human, infected with HBV or EBV is provided that includes administering an HBV- or EBV-treatment amount of an L-nucleoside of the formula: ##STR1## wherein R is a purine or pyrimidine base. In a preferred embodiment, the nucleoside is provided as the indicated enantiomer and substantially in the absence of its corresponding enantiomer (i.e., in enantiomerically enriched, including enantiomerically pure form).

In one preferred embodiment, the active compound is 2'-fluoro-5-methyl-β-L-arabinofuranosyluridine (also referred to as L-FMAU). This compound is a potent antiviral agent against HBV and EBV and exhibits low cytotoxicity. Other specific examples of active compounds include N₁ -(2'-deoxy-2'-fluoro-β-L-arabinofuranosyl)-5-ethyluracil, N₁ -(2'-deoxy-2'-fluoro-β-L-arabinofuranosyl)-5-iodocytosine), and N₁ -(2'-deoxy-2'-fluoro-β-L-arabinofuranosyl)-5-iodouracil.

In an alternative embodiment, an L-nucleoside is provided for use in the treatment of HBV or EBV that contains a 2'-arabino-hydroxyl group, for example, L-arathymidine, L-fludarabine, L-araguanosine, and L-ara-inosine, as illustrated in FIG. 1.

The L-nucleosides disclosed herein and their pharmaceutically acceptable derivatives or pharmaceutically acceptable formulations containing these compounds are useful in the prevention and treatment of HBV infections and other related conditions such as anti-HBV antibody positive and HBV-positive conditions, chronic liver inflammation caused by HBV, cirrhosis, acute hepatitis, fulminant hepatitis, chronic persistent hepatitis, and fatigue. The compounds can likewise be used in the treatment of EBV-associated disorders. These compounds or formulations can also be used prophylactically to prevent or retard the progression of clinical illness in individuals who are anti-HBV or anti-EBV antibody or HBV- or EBV-antigen positive or who have been exposed to HBV or EBV.

In another embodiment, the active compound or its derivative or salt can be administered in combination or alternation with another anti-HBV agent or anti-EBV agent, including those listed above, or an anti-HIV agent. In general, during alternation therapy, an effective dosage of each agent is administered serially, whereas in combination therapy, an effective dosage of two or more agents are administered together. The dosages will depend on absorption, inactivation, and excretion rates of the drug as well as other factors known to those of skill in the art. It is to be noted that dosage values will also vary with the severity of the condition to be alleviated. It is to be further understood that for any particular subject, specific dosage regimens and schedules should be adjusted over time according to the individual need and the professional judgment of the person administering or supervising the administration of the compositions.

Nonlimiting examples of antiviral agents that can be used in combination with the compounds disclosed herein include the (-)-enantiomer of 2-hydroxymethyl-5-(5-fluorocytosin-1-yl)-1,3-oxathiolane (FTC); the (-)-enantiomer of 2-hydroxymethyl-5-(cytosin-1-yl)-1,3-oxathiolane (3TC); carbovir, acyclovir, interferon, AZT, DDI (2',3'-dideoxyinosine), DDC (2',3'-dideoxycytidine), L-DDC, L-5-F-DDC and D4T.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is an illustration of selected L-nucleosides that fall within the present invention: L-FMAU (2'-fluoro-5-methyl-β-L-arabinofuranosyluridine), L-FIAU (2'-fluoro-5-iodo-β-L-arabinofuranosyluridine), L-FC (2'-fluoro-β-L-arabinofuranosylcytosine), L-FIAC (2'-fluoro-5-iodo-β-L-arabinofuranosylcytosine), L-2-Cl-2'-F-2'-deoxyadenine, L-FEAU (2'-fluoro-5-ethyl-β-L-arabinofuranosyluridine), L-arathymidine, L-fludarabine, L-araguanosine, and L-ara-inosine.

FIG. 2 is a graph of the percentage of viable cells versus drug concentration of L-FMAU in H1 cells.

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of the preparation of 1-O-acetyl-2,3,5-tri-O-benzoyl-β-L-ribofuranose (compound 10).

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of an alternative preparation of 1-O-acetyl-2,3,5-tri-O-benzoyl-β-L-ribofuranose (compound 10).

FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of a method for the preparation of 1,3,5-tri-O-benzoyl-2-deoxy-2-fluoro-α-L-arabinofuranose (compound 13).

FIG. 6 is schematic illustration of a method for the preparation of N₉ - 3',5'-di-O-benzoyl-2'-deoxy-2'-fluoro-β-L-arabinofuranosyl!-2,6-dichloropurine (compound 15) and N₉ - 2'-deoxy-2'-fluoro-β-L-arabinofuranosyl!-2,6-di-chloropurine (compound 16).

FIG. 7 is an illustration of a method for the preparation of a number of 2'-deoxy-2'-fluoro-β-L-arabinofuranosyl!-pyrimidines (compounds 17-24).

FIG. 8 is an illustration of a method for the preparation of N₁ -(2'-deoxy-2'-fluoro-β-L-arabinofuranosyl)-5-iodocytosine) (compound 22).

FIG. 9 is an illustration of a method for the preparation of 9-β-L-arabinofuranosyladenine.

FIG. 10 is an illustration of an alternative route for the preparation of 1-O-acetyl-2,3,5-tri-O-benzoyl-β-L-ribofuranose (compound 10) from 1,2-di-O-isopropylidene-α-L-xylofuranose (compound 3).

FIG. 11 is a graph of the plasma concentration of L-(-)-FMAU in mice after oral administration over time (cross, 10 mg/kg administered bid (bi-daily) for 29 days prior to pharmacokinetic study and then study carried out on day thirty on administration of same concentration; dark circle, 50 mg/kg administered bid for 29 days prior to study and then study carried out on day thirty on administration of same concentration; open circle, 50 mg/kg administered for the first time on the first day of the study).

FIG. 12 is a graph of the concentration of L-(-)-FMAU in mouse liver after oral administration over time (cross, 10 mg/kg administered bid (bi-daily) for 30 days prior to pharmacokinetic study and then study carried out on day thirty one on administration of same concentration; dark circle, 50 mg/kg administered bid for 30 days prior to study and then study carried out on day thirty one on administration of same concentration; open circle, 50 mg/kg administered for the first time on the first day of the study).

FIG. 13a illustrates the change in body weight over thirty days of control BDF1 female mice. FIGS. 13b and 13c illustrate the change in body weight over thirty days of BDF1 female mice dosed with 10 mg/kg bid (13b) and 50 mg/kg (13c) L-(-)-FMAU. The body weight presented represents the mean and standard deviation of that of five to seven mice.

FIGS. 14-20 provide the clinical chemistry of mouse plasma after administration of L-(-)-FMAU at 10 mg/kg (three mice) or 50 mg/kg (three mice) bid for thirty days. FIG. 14 is a bar chart graph of the concentration of total bilirubin in the mouse plasma in mg/dL. FIG. 15 is a bar chart graph of the concentration of alkaline phosphatase in the mouse plasma in U/L. FIG. 16 is a bar chart graph of the concentration of creatinine in the mouse plasma in mg/dL. FIG. 17 is a bar chart graph of the concentration of AST (SGOT, serum glutamic oxalic transaminase) in the mouse plasma in U/L. FIG. 18 is a bar chart graph of the concentration of ALT (SGPT, serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase) in the mouse plasma in U/L. FIG. 19 is a bar chart graph of the concentration of lactic acid in the mouse plasma in mmol/L. FIG. 20 is a bar chart graph of the concentration of lactic dehydrogenase in the mouse plasma in U/L.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As used herein, the term "enantiomerically enriched" refers to a nucleoside composition that includes at least approximately 95%, and preferably approximately 97%, 98%, 99%, or 100% of a single enantiomer of that nucleoside.

As used herein, the term alkyl specifically includes but is not limited to C₁ to C₁₀ alkyl groups, including methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, isopropyl, isobutyl, sec-butyl, t-butyl, isopentyl, amyl, t-pentyl, cyclopentyl, and cyclohexyl.

As used herein, the term acyl specifically includes but is not limited to acetyl, propionyl, butyryl, pentanoyl, 3-methylbutyryl, hydrogen succinate, 3-chlorobenzoate, benzoyl, acetyl, pivaloyl, mesylate, propionyl, valeryl, caproic, caprylic, capric, lauric, myristic, palmitic, stearic, and oleic.

As used herein, and unless otherwise defined, the term aryl refers to phenyl.

The term "protected" as used herein and unless otherwise defined refers to a group that is added to an oxygen or nitrogen atom to prevent its further reaction during the course of derivatization of other moieties in the molecule in which the oxygen or nitrogen is located. A wide variety of oxygen and nitrogen protecting groups are known to those skilled in the art of organic synthesis.

The term purine or pyrimidine base includes, but is not limited to, adenine, N⁶ -alkylpurines, N⁶ -acylpurines (wherein acyl is C(O)(alkyl, aryl, alkaryl, or aralkyl), N⁶ -benzylpurine, N⁶ -halopurine, N⁶ -vinylpurine, N⁶ -acetylenic purine, N⁶ -acyl purine, N⁶ -hydroxyalkyl purine, N⁶ -thioalkyl purine, thymine, cytosine, 6-azapyrimidine, 2-mercaptopyrmidine, uracil, N⁵ -alkylpyrimidines, N⁵ -benzylpyrimidines, N⁵ -halopyrimidines, N⁵ -vinylpyrimidine, N⁵ -acetylenic pyrimidine, N⁵ -acyl pyrimidine, N⁵ -hydroxyalkyl purine, N⁶ -thioalkyl purine, 5-azacytidinyl, 5-azauracilyl, triazolopyridinyl, imidazolopyridinyl, pyrrolopyrimidinyl, pyrazolopyrimidinyl. Functional oxygen and nitrogen groups on the base can be protected as necessary or desired. Suitable protecting groups are well known to those skilled in the art, and include trimethylsilyl, dimethylhexylsilyl, t-butyldimethylsilyl, and t-butyldiphenylsilyl, tritylmethyl, alkyl groups, acyl groups such as acetyl, propionyl, butyl, methylsulfonyl, and p-toluylsulfonyl. It specifically includes 5-methyl uracil (thymine), 5-iodouracil, cytosine, and 5-ethyluracil.

The invention as disclosed herein is a method and composition for the treatment of HBV infection, EBV infection, and other viruses replicating in a like manner, in humans or other host animals such as HIV, that includes administering an effective amount of one or more of the above-identified L-nucleosides, or a physiologically acceptable derivative, or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof, optionally in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The compounds of this invention either possess anti-HBV activity, anti-EBV-activity, or are metabolized to a compound or compounds that exhibit anti-HBV or anti-EBV activity. The compounds disclosed herein can also be used to treat HBV and EBV associated disorders.

The active compound can be administered as any derivative that upon administration to the recipient, is capable of providing directly or indirectly, the parent compound, or that exhibits activity itself. Nonlimiting examples are the pharmaceutically acceptable salts (alternatively referred to as "physiologically acceptable salts"), and the 5' and purine or pyrimidine acylated or alkylated derivatives of the active compound (alternatively referred to as "physiologically active derivatives"). In one embodiment, the acyl group is a carboxylic acid ester (i.e., --C(O)R') in which the non-carbonyl moiety (R') of the ester group is selected from straight, branched, or cyclic C₁ to C₁₀ alkyl, alkoxyalkyl including methoxymethyl, aralkyl including benzyl, aryloxyalkyl such as phenoxymethyl, aryl including phenyl optionally substituted with halogen, C₁ to C₄ alkyl or C₁ to C₄ alkoxy, sulfonate esters such as alkyl or aralkyl sulphonyl including methanesulfonyl, the mono, di or triphosphate ester, trityl or monomethoxytrityl, substituted benzyl, trialkylsilyl (e.g. dimethyl-t-butylsilyl) or diphenylmethylsilyl. Aryl groups in the esters optimally comprise a phenyl or benzyl group. The alkyl group can be straight, branched, or cyclic, and is optimally a C₁ to C₁₀ group.

I. Synthesis of L-Nucleosides

The L-nucleosides disclosed herein can be prepared as described in detail below, or by other assays known to those skilled in the art.

In the synthetic schemes described below, other standard reagents, including equivalent acids, bases, and solvents can be used in place of those named, as known to those of ordinary skill in the art. A wide range of protecting groups for oxygen or nitrogen can be used, and are disclosed, for example, in Greene, et al., "protective Groups in Organic Synthesis," John Wiley and Sons, Second Edition, 1991. Suitable oxygen and nitrogen protecting groups, include, for example, a trisubstituted silyl group such as trimethylsilyl, dimethylhexylsilyl, t -butyldimethylsilyl, t-butyldiphenylsilyl, trityl, alkyl group, acyl groups such as acetyl, propionyl, benzoyl, p-NO₂ benzoyl, benzyl, or toluyl, methylsulfonyl, or p-toluylsulfonyl. Functional oxygen and nitrogen groups on the heterocyclic base should be protected before condensation with the sugar.

Suitable reducing agents include NaBH₄, diisobutylaluminum hydride (DIBAL-H), lithium borohydride (LiBH₄), and sodium bis(2-methoxyethoxy)-aluminum hydride (Red-Al). Suitable oxidizing agents include aqueous acidic chromic acid (CrO₃), sodium dichromate (Na₂ CrO₇), pyridinium chlorochromate (PCC), pyridinium dichromate (PDC), potassium permanganate (KMnO₄), lead tetraacetate/pyridine, oxygen over a platinum/carbon catalyst, RuO₄, RuO₄ /NaIO₄, dimethylsulfoxide/dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DMSO/DCC) and a proton donor, silver carbonate, triphenylbismuth carbonate, Oppenauer oxidation (aluminum alkoxides in acetone) and manganese dioxide (for selective oxidation of allylic or benzylic alcohols in the presence of other alcohols).

Friedel-Crafts catalysts (Lewis acids) that can be used in the condensation reaction include SnCl₄, ZnCl₄, TiCl₄, AlCl₃, FeCl₃, BF₃ -diethylether, and BCl₃. These catalysts require anhydrous conditions because the presence of water reduces their activity. The catalysts are also inactivated in the presence of organic solvents with active hydrogens, such as alcohols and organic acids. The catalysts are typically used in solvents such as carbon disulfide, methylene chloride, nitromethane, 1,2-dichloroethane, nitrobenzene, tetrachloroethane, chlorobenzene, benzene, toluene, dimethylformamide, tetrahydrofuran, dioxane, or acetonitrile. Anhydrous aluminum chloride is not soluble in carbon disulfide. Niedballa, et al., J. Org. Chem. 39, 25 (1974). The preferred catalyst is SnCl₄. The preferred solvent is 1,2-dichloroethane. Trimethylsilyl triflate can be used under the same conditions described above for the Friedel-Crafts catalysts. The reaction proceeds at a temperature range of from -10° C. to 200° C. Desilylation can be carried out with a variety of reagents, including acetic acid, trifluoroacetic acid, hydrogen fluoride, n-tetrabutylammonium fluoride, potassium fluoride and pyridinium HCl.

Referring to FIG. 3, starting from L-xylose (1a), the key intermediate 1-O-acetyl-2,3,5-tri-O-benzoyl-β-L-ribofuranose (10) was synthesized in a total yield of 20% (L. Vargha, Chem. Ber., 1954, 87, 1351; Holy, A., et al., Synthetic Procedures in Nucleic Acid Chemistry, V1, 163-67). As shown in FIG. 4, compound 10 can also be synthesized from the more expensive starting material L-ribose (Holy, A., et al., Synthetic Procedures in Nucleic Acid Chemistry, V1, 163-67). FIG. 3 illustrates an alternative synthesis of compound 10 (yield of 53%), which was subsequently fluorinated at C₂ (J. Org. Chem.. 1985, 50, 3644-47) to obtain 1,3,5-tri-O-benzoyl-2-deoxy-2-fluoro-L-arabinofuranose (13), which was condensed with different bases through the bromosugar to provide the 2'-deoxy-2'-fluoroarabinofuranosyl nucleosides in various yields.

1,2-Di-O-isopropylidene-α-L-xylofuranose (3)

To 650 ml of anhydrous acetone was added 4 ml of conc. sulfuric acid, 5 g of molecular sieve (4A), 80 g of anhydrous cupric sulfate and 50 g of L-xylose and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 36 hours. The reaction mixture was filtered and washed thoroughly with acetone, the combined filtrate was neutralized with ammonium hydroxide then evaporated to dryness. Ethyl acetate (200 ml) was added, then filtered and evaporated, yielded an oil which was dissolved in 250 ml of 0.2% HCl solution and stirred at room temperature for 2.5 hours. The pH was adjusted to 8 with sat. NaHCO₃, then evaporated to dryness, the residue was extracted with ethyl acetate. Removal of the solvent provided a yellow oil of compound 3 (41.7 g, 82.3%).

¹ H-NMR(CDCl₃): δ5.979 (d, J=3.78 Hz,1H, H-1); 4.519(d, J=3.6 Hz, 1H, H-2);4.308(bd, 1H, H-3); 4.080(m, 3H, H-4 and H-5); 1.321(s, 3H, CH₃); 1.253 (s, 3H, CH₃).

1,2-Di-O-isopropylidene-3,5-di-O-o-tolylsulfonyl-α-L-xylofuranose (4)

Compound 3 (40 g, 210 mmol) was stirred in 500 ml of anhydrous pyridine at 0° C., while TsCl (75 g, 393 mmol) was dissolved in 100 ml of CHCl₃ was added dropwise. After 3 hours, another portion of TsCl (50 g, 262 mmol) in 50 ml of CHCl₃ was added the same as above. The mixture was stirred at r.t. for 24 hrs, then chilled at 0° C., water (10 ml) was added, then stirred at r.t. for 30 minutes. The reaction mixture was poured into 500 ml of ice-water, extracted with CHCl₃ (150 ml×4), washed with 1.5M H₂ SO₄ (150 ml×4), sat.NaHCO₃ (200 ml×2), dried (MgSO₄). Removing solvent gave a brown syrup, which upon crystallization from EtOH, gave 4 as a white solid (103.8 g, 99%).

¹ H-NMR(CDCl₃) δ7.282, 7.836 (m, 8H, OTs); 5.849 (d, J=3.51 Hz, 1H, H-1); 4.661, 4.779 (m, 2H, H-3 and H-4); 4.193(dd, 1H, H-2); 4.011 (d, 2H, H-5); 2.448, 2.478 (2s, 6H, -OTs); 1.261, 1.320 (2s, 6H, CH₃).

1,2-Di-O-acetyl-3,5-di-O-p-tolylsulfonyl-α,β-xylofuranose (5)

Compound 4(70 g, 140.5 mmol) was dissolved in 700 ml of glacial AcOH and 100 ml of Ac₂ O while 50 ml of conc. sulfuric acid was added dropwise at 0° C. The resulting solution was stirred at r.t overnight and then poured into 1 L of ice-water, extracted with CHCl₃ (200 ml×4), washed with sat. NaHCO₃, dried (MgSO₄). After removing solvent in vacuo, gave 5 as a syrup (84.2 g, crude yield 110%).

Methyl-3,5-di-O-p-tolylsulfonyl-α,β-xylofuranose (6)

The crude 5 (80 g) was stirred in 500 ml of 1% HCl/CH₃ OH at r.t. for 30 hrs. The solvent was removed under reduced pressure, the residue dissolved in 300 ml of CHCl₃, washed with sat. NaHCO₃, dried (MgSO₄). Removal of solvent gave 6 as a syrup (60 g, 90% from 4).

Methyl-2-O-benzoyl-3,5-di-O-p-tolylsulfonyl-α,β-xylofuranoside (7)

The syrup 6 (60 g, 127 mmol) was dissolved in 200 ml of pyridine and stirred at 0° C., while benzoyl chloride (40 ml, 345 mmol) was added dropwise, the resulting solution was stirred at r.t. for 17 hrs. It was concentrated to about 50 ml, then poured into 300 ml of ice-water, extracted with CHCl₃, washed with 3N H₂ SO₄ and sat. NaHCO₃, dried (MgSO₄). After evaporation of the solvent, gave 7 as a syrup (71 g, 97%).

Methyl-2,3,5-tri-O-benzoyl-α-β-L-ribofuranoside (9)

The syrup 7 (70 g) and sodium benzoate (100 g, 694 mmol) were suspended in 1200 ml of DMF and mechanically stirred under reflux for 16 hrs. It was cooled to r.t. and then poured into 1 L of ice-water, extracted with ether, dried (MgSO₄). Evaporation of solvent gave a syrup (50 g, 8a and 8b), which was dissolved in 180 ml of pyridine and benzoylated (BzCl, 20 ml, 172 mmol) for 17 hrs at r.t. After work up, gave 9 as a brown syrup (48 g, 83% from 7).

1-O-acetyl-2,3,5-tri-O-benzoyl-β-L-ribofuranose (10)

Compound 9 (26 g, 54.6 mmol) was treated with 275 ml of glacial acetic acid, 55 ml of acetic anhydride and 16 ml of conc. sulfuric acid at 0° C. to r.t. for 17 hrs. Then poured into 1 L of ice-water, extracted with chloroform (200 ml×4). The combined extract was washed with sat. NaHCO₃ and dried (MgSO₄). Removing solvent gave a brown syrup which was treated with ethanol to give 10 as a white solid. (8.8 g, 32%). m.p. 124.7° C., lit. 129°-130° C.; D from: 130°-131° C. α!_(D) =-45.613 (c 1.0, CHCl₃), D form: α!_(D) =+44.2.

¹ H-NMR(CDCl₃): δ7.317, 8.134 (m, 15H, OBz); 6.437 (s, 1H, H-1); 5.835 (m, 2H, H-2 and H-3); 4,649 (m, 3H, H-4 and H-5); 2.003(s, 3H, CH₃ COO--).

1-O-acetyl-2,3,5-tri-O-benzoyl-β-L-ribofuranose (from L-ribose)

L-Ribose (5 g, 33.3 mmol) was suspended in 120 ml of 1% HCl/MeOH and stirred at r.t. for 3 hrs, when a clear solution was obtained. The reaction was quenched by adding 30 ml of anhydrous pyridine, then evaporated under reduced pressure. The resulting syrup was coevaporated with pyridine (30 ml×2), then dissolved in 80 ml of anhydrous pyridine, and stirred at 0° C. while benzoyl chloride (20 ml, 172 mmol) was added dropwise. After stirring at r.t. for 17 hrs, the reaction was complete. Water (10 ml) was added and the mixture was stirred at r.t. for 0.5 hr, then concentrated to about 50 ml, poured into 150 ml of ice-water, extracted with chloroform (50 ml×4), washed successively with 3N H₂ SO₄ (30 ml×2), sat. NaHCO₃ (30 ml×3), and dried (MgSO₄). Removal of the solvent gave 9 as a syrup of 13 g.

The crude 9 was dissolved in 80 ml of HBr/AcOH (45%, w/v) and stirred at r.t. for 1.5 hrs. To this mixture was added glacial acetic acid (50 ml) and the resulting solution stirred at 0° C., while 34 ml of water was added slowly to keep the temperature below 7° C. It was then stirred at r.t. for 1 hr, poured into 200 ml of ice-water, extracted with chloroform (50 ml×5). The combined extracts were washed with sat. NaHCO₃, dried (MgSO₄). Removal of solvent gave a syrup (13 g), which was dissolved in 40 ml of anhydrous pyridine, stirred at 0° C. Acetic anhydride (14 ml, 148.4 mmol) was then added dropwise. After the reaction was completed, it was poured into 150 ml of ice-water, extracted with chloroform (50 ml×4), washed successively with 3N H₂ SO₄ (30 ml×2), sat. NaHCO₃ (50 ml×2), and dried (MgSO₄). Removal of solvent and treatment with methanol gave 10 as a white solid (9.2 g, 53.7% from L-ribose).

1,3,5-Tri-O-benzoyl-α-L-ribofuranose (11)

Compound 10 (9 g, 17.84 mmol) was stirred in 100 ml of CH₂ Cl₂ at 0° C. while 70 ml of CH₂ Cl₂ containing HBr (3.2 g, 30.5 mmol) was added in one portion. The mixture was stirred at 0° C. for 3.5 hrs, water (55 ml) was added and the mixture stirred at r.t. for 18 hrs. The organic layer was separated, washed with sat. NaHCO₃, and dried (MgSO₄). After evaporation of the solvent, a foam was obtained, which upon recrystallization from CH₂ Cl₂ and n-hexane, gave 11 as a white solid. (6.2 g, 75.5%). m.p. 137°-138° C., lit. 140°-141° C., α!_(D) =-81.960 (c 0.55, CHCl₃ ; D form: α!_(D) =+83.71.

¹ H-NMR(CDCl₃): δ7.312, 8.187 (m, 15H, OBz) 6.691 (d, J=4.59 Hz, H-1); 5.593 (dd, J₄₋₃ =6.66 Hz; J₂₋₃ =1.8 Hz, 1H, H-30; 4.637, 4.796 (m, 4H, H-2, H-4 and H-5); 2.3 (b, OH)

1,3,5-Tri-O-benzoyl-2-O-imidazosulfuryl-α-L-ribofuranose (12)

Compound 11 (5.94 g, 12.84 mmol) was stirred in 50 ml of anhydrous CH₂ Cl₂ at -15° C. (dry ice-CCl₄). Anhydrous DMF (15 ml) and sulfuryl chloride (3.2 ml, 3.98 mmol) was added sequentially. The solution was stirred at -15° C. for 30 minutes and then left at r.t. for 4 hrs. Imidazole (8.7 g, 12.78 mmol) was added in three portions while the reaction mixture was cooled in an ice bath. It was then stirred at r.t. for 17 hrs. The mixture was poured into 150 ml of ice-water and the water phase extracted with CH₂ Cl₂ (50 ml×3). The combined organic layer was washed with water and dried (MgSO₄). Purification by column (hexane:EtOAc/5:1-1:1) gave 12 as a white solid (3.7 g, 49%). m.p. 124.5°-125.5° C., lit: 129° C.; α!_(D) =-68.976; D form: +66.154.

¹ H-NMR(CDCl₃): δ6.9, 8.2 (m, 18H, Ar--H); 6.67 (d, J=4.4 Hz, 1H, H-1); 5.59 (dd, 1H, H-3), 5.21 (dd, 1H, H-2); 4.5, 4.8 (m, 3H, H-4 and H-5).

1,3,5-Tri-O-benzoyl-2-deoxy-2-fluoro-α-L-arabinofuranose (13)

A suspension of 12 (3.33 g, 5.62 mmol), KHF₂ (1.76 g, 22.56 mmol) in 30 ml of 2,3-butanediol was stirred under argon. It was heated to 150° C. while 1 ml of HF/H₂ O (48%, 27.6 mmol) was added and the mixture was stirred at 160° C. for 1.5 hrs. Brine-ice was added to quench the reaction, and then the solution was extracted with methylene chloride (50 ml×4). The combined extract was washed with brine, water, sat. NaHCO₃, dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate and activated carbon (Darco-60). It was poured on a silica gel pad (5 cm×5 cm), washed with methylene chloride and then EtOAc, to give a syrup which from 95% EtOH, 13 (1.3 g, 49.8%) was crystallized. m.p. 77°-78° C.; lit.: 82° C.

¹ H-NMR(CDCl₃): δ7.314, 8.146 (m, 15H, OBz); 6.757 (d, J=9.1 Hz, 1H, H-1); 5.38 (d, J=48.5 Hz, 1H, H-2); 5.630 (dd, J=22.5 Hz, 1H, H-3); 4.768 (m, 3H, H-4 and H-5).

N₉ - 3',5'-Di-O-benzoyl-2'-deoxy-2'-fluoro-β-L-arabinofuranosyl!-2,6-di-chloro-purine (15)

Compound 13 (464 mg, 1 mmol) was dissolved in 10 ml of methylene chloride while 1.4 ml of HBr/AcOH (45% w/v) was added. The solution was stirred at r.t. for 24 hrs, and then evaporated to dryness. The residue was dissolved in 20 ml of methylene chloride, and washed with water, sat. NaHCO₃, dried (MgSO₄). Filtration and evaporation gave the bromosugar 14 (100%, based on TLC).

At the same time, 2,6-di-chloro-purine (378 mg, 2 mmol) was suspended in 15 ml of HMDS and 2 mg of ammonium sulfate, and then refluxed for 2 hrs. The HMDS was evaporated with high vacuum under N₂ to give the white silylated base.

The bromosugar 14 was dissolved in 25 ml of anhydrous 1,2-dichloroethane. The resulting solution was added to the silylated base under N₂. The mixture was stirred under reflux for 2 days. Chloroform (30 ml) was added, and then washed successively with water (20 ml×2), sat. NaHCO₃ (20 ml×2), sat. NaCl solution (20 ml×2), and dried (MgSO₄). From CHCl₃, compound 15 (105 mg, 19.7%) crystallized. m.p. 158° C.; D form: 158° C.

UV(Methanol): λ_(max) : 238.50 nm, 273.0 nm.

¹ H-NMR (300 MHz, DMSO-d₆): δ8.82 (d, J=1.5 Hz, 1H, H-8); 7.49, 8.33 (m, 10H, OBz); 6.767 (dd, J_(H-H) =4 Hz, K_(F-H) =13.8 Hz, 1H, H-1'); 5.854 (dq, J=67.4 Hz, 1H, H-2'); 5.910 (m, 1H, H-3'); 4.751 (m, 3H, H-4' and H-5').

N₉ 2'-deoxy-2'-fluoro-β-L-arabinofuranosyl!-2,6-di-chloropurine (16)

Compound 15 (70 mg, 0.13 mmol) was dissolved in 25 ml of sat. NH₃ /CH₃ OH in a sealed steel bomb and heated at 90° C. for 6 hrs. Removal of solvent under reduced pressure gave a yellow semisolid which was purified by preparative TLC (9:1/CHCl₃ :CH₃ OH). Lyophilization from water and 1,4-dioxane gave a white powder 16 (30 mg, 75%). UV(H₂ O) pH2, λ_(max) 212.00 nm, 263.50 nm (ε6711); pH7, λ_(max) 213.50 nm, 263.00 nm (ε7590); pH11, λ_(max) 213.5 nm, 263.00 nm (ε5468).

¹ H-NMR (300 MHz, DMSO-d₆): δ8.279 (d, J=1.5 Hz, 1H, H-8); 7.908 (bs, 2H, NH₂); 6.321 (dd, J_(H-H) =4.4 Hz, J_(F-H) =13.8 Hz, 1H, H-1'); 5.986 (t, 1H, 5' --OH); 5.230 (dt, J_(F-H) =52.6 Hz, 1H, H-2'); 5.115 (d, 1H, 3' --OH); 4.425 (dq, J_(F-H) =19 Hz, 1H, H=3'); 3.841 (m, 1H, H-4'); 3.636 (d, 2H, H-5').

N₁ -(2'-Deoxy-2'-fluoro-3',5'-di-O-benzyl-β-L-arabinofuranosyl)-thymine (17)

To a solution of 13 (400 mg, 0.86 mmol) in anhydrous CH₂ Cl₂ (10 ml) was added hydrogen bromide in acetic acid (45% w/v, 1.5 ml), and the resulting solution was stirred at r.t. for 17 hrs. After evaporation of the solvent and coevaporation with toluene, compound 14 was obtained.

At the same time, thymine (215 mg, 1.72 mmol) was refluxed in HMDS (25 ml) under nitrogen for 17 hrs, to get a homogeneous solution. Evaporation of the solvent gave a silylated thymine.

A solution of 14 in dichloroethane (50 ml) was added to the silylated thymine and the resulting solution was refluxed under nitrogen for 3 days. Water was added and then extracted with CHCl₃. The organic layer was washed with water, brine and dried (MgSO₄). Evaporation of the solvent gave the crude product, which was purified on preparative TLC using 2% MeOH/CHCl₃ to give 17 (235 mg, 58%). m.p. 99°-101° C. UV(Methanol): 230, 264 nm α!_(D) =+22.397.

¹ H-NMR(CDCl₃): δ7.343-8.389 (m, 12H, Ar--H, NH); 6.34 (dd, J_(H-H) =2.97 Hz, J_(F-H) =28.32 Hz, 1H, H-1'); 5.383 (dd, J_(H-H) =2.7 Hz, J_(F-H) =63.27 Hz, 1H, H-2'); 5.565 (dd, 1H, H-3'); 4.812 (d, 2H, H-5'); 4.466 (m, 1H, H-4'); 1.775 (s, 3H, CH₃). Anal. (C₂₄ H₂ 1N₂ O₇ F), C: 61.01; H, 4.57; N: 5.73; F: 3.92.

N₁ -(2'-Deoxy-2'-fluoro-β-L-arabinofuranosyl)-thymine (18)

Compound 17 (145 mg, 0.309 mmol) was treated with NH₃ /CH₃ OH at r.t. for 18 hrs. After evaporation of the solvent and purification on preparative TLC (15% MeOH/CHCl₃, 18 (70 mg, 87.5%) was obtained. m.p. 174°-175° C. UV: 264 nm, α!_(D) =-104.36.

H-NMR (DMSO-d₆): δ11.401 (s, 1H, NH); 7.575 (s, 1H, H-6); 6.093 (dd, J_(H-H) =4.41 Hz, J_(F-H) =15.6 Hz, H-1'); 5.844 (d, 1H, 3' --OH); 5.019 (dt, J_(F-H) =53.3 Hz, 1H, H-2'); 5.087 (t, 1H, 5' --OH); 4.194 (dq, 1H, H-3'); 3.647 (m, 3H, H-4' and H-5'); 1.781 (s, 3H, CH₃). Anal. (C₁₀ H₁₃ N₂ FO₅), C: 44.80; H: 4.97; N: 10.04; F: 7.03.

N₁ -(2'-Deoxy-2'-fluoro-3',5'-di-O-benzoyl-β-L-arabinofuranosyl)-5-ethyluracil (19)

To a solution of 13 in anhydrous dichloromethane (10 ml) was added hydrogen bromide in acetic acid (45% w/v, 0.97 ml, 5.385 mmol). The solution was stirred at r.t. for 18 hrs, after evaporation of the solvent and coevaporation with toluene, 14 was obtained.

At the same time, 5-ethyluracil (0.75 g, 5.39 mmol) was suspended in HMDS (10 ml) with ammonium sulfate (5 mg) and refluxed for 5 hrs. under nitrogen to give a homogeneous solution.

The silylated base solution was evaporated to dryness with avoiding the contact of moisture. To the obtained syrup was added a solution of 14 in anhydrous 1,2-dichloroethane (10 ml). The reaction mixture was stirred at 95° C. under nitrogen for 20 hrs, then evaporated under vacuum to dryness to give a yellow solid, which was mixed with 5 ml of CH₃ OH/CHCl₃ (1:1) and filtered. The filtrate was evaporated to give a residue, which was chromatographed on silica gel column (CH₃ OH/CHCl₃, 0-1%) to give a white solid 19 (0.557 g, 100%).

¹ H-NMR (DMSO-d₆): δ11.55 (s, 1H, NH); 7.51, 8.08 (m, 10H, Ar--H); 7.32 (s, 1H, H-6); 6.29, 6.37 (dd, J_(H-H) =3.7 Hz, J_(F-H) =20 Hz, 1H, H-1'); 5.68-5.75 (dd, J_(F-H) =20 Hz, 1H, H-3'), 5.47-5.65 (dd, J_(F-H) =54 Hz, 1H, H-2'); 4.62-4.83 (m, 3H, H-4' and H-5'); 2.01, 2.09 (q, 2H, CH₂ --CH₃); 0.85 (t, 3H, CH₃).

N₁ -(2'-Deoxy-2'-fluoro-β-L-arabinofuranosyl)-5-ethyluracil (20)

Compound 19 (500 mg) was dissolved in methanolic ammonia (50 ml) and stirred at r.t. for 44 hrs. The solution was evaporated to dryness to give a white solid (0.4 g), which was chromatographed on silica gel column. (CH3OH/CHCl3, 0-5%) to give a white solid 20 (240 mg, 84%). m.p. 158°-161° C. UV (MeOH): λ_(max) 260 nm.

¹ H-NMR (DMSO-d₆): δ11.42 (s, 1H, NH); 7.57 (s, 1H, H-6'); 6.10, 6.17 (dd, J_(H-H) =5.0 Hz, J_(F-H) =14 Hz, 1H, H-1'); 5.88 (bs, 1H, 3' --OH); 5.14, 5.19 (m, 2H, H-2' and 5' --OH); 4.98 (t, 1H, H-3'); 4.22, 4.28 (m, 1H, H-4'); 3.55, 3.78 (m, 2H, H-5') Anal. (C₁₁ H₁₅ N₂ O₅ F): C: 47.93; H: 5.56; N: 10.06; F: 6.68.

N₁ -(2'-Deoxy-2'-fluoro-3',5'-di-O-benzoyl-β-L-arabinofuranosyl)-N⁴ -benzoyl-5-iodocytosine (21)

To a solution of 13 (150 mg, 0.323 mmol) in anhydrous methylene chloride (5 ml) was added hydrogen bromide in acetic acid (45% w/v, 0.29 ml, 1.615 mmol). The reaction mixture was stirred at r.t. for 9.5 hrs. After evaporating the solvent and coevaporating with toluene, 15 was obtained as a yellow syrup.

At the same time, N⁴ -benzoyl-5-iodocytosine (550 mg, 1.615 mmol) was suspended in HMDS (8 ml) with ammonium sulfate (3 mg) and refluxed for 5 hrs. under nitrogen to give a homogeneous solution.

The silylated base solution was evaporated to dryness with avoiding the contact of moisture. To the obtained syrup was added a solution of 14 in anhydrous 1,2-dichloroethane (10 ml). The reaction mixture was refluxed under nitrogen for 23 hrs, then evaporated to dryness to give a brown syrup, which was triturated with chloroform (30 ml). The resulting precipitate was filtered off and washed with chloroform. The filtrate and washings were combined and evaporated to give a brown syrup. The product mixture was separated by chromatography on silica gel column (CH₃ OH/CHCl₃, 0-1%) to give a white solid 21 (100 mg, 45%).

¹ H-NMR (CDCl₃): δ11.40 (bs, 1H, NH): 7.26, 8.20 (m, 17H, Ar--H, H-6 and NH); 6.36, 6.44 (dd, J_(HH) =2.8 Hz, J_(F-H) =21 Hz, 1H, H-1'); 5.62, 5.68 (dd, 1H, H-3'); 5.39, 5.56 (dd, 1H, H-2'); 4.58, 4.85 (m, 3H, H-4' and H-5').

N₁ -(2'-Deoxy-2'-fluoro-β-L-arabinofuranosyl)-5-iodocytosine (22)

Compound 21 (100 mg, 0.27 mmol) was treated with sat. NH₃ /MeOH (60 ml) at r.t. for 24 hrs. Silica gel column chromatography (0-10%; CH₃ OH/CHCl₃) gave compound 22 (35 mg, 71%) as a white solid. α!_(D) =-65.4 (c 0.34, CH₃ OH); UV(MeOH): λ_(max) =293 nm.

¹ H-NMR (DMSO-d₆); δ8.04 (s, 1H, H-6); 6.74, 7.94 (s, 1H, NH); 6.01, 6.08 (dd, J_(H-H) =3.9 Hz, J_(F-H) =16.6 Hz, 1H, H-1'); 5.85 (d, 1H, 3' --OH); 5.17 (t, 1-H, 5' --OH); 5.08 (t, 1H, H-2'); 4.89 (t, 1H, H-3'); 4.15-4.23 (m, 1H, H-4'); 3.63-3.79 (m, 2H, H-5').

N₁ -(2'-Deoxy-2'-fluoro-3',5'-di-O-benzoyl-β-L-arabinofuranosyl)-5-iodouracil (23)

To a solution of 13 (260 mg, 0.56 mmol) in 10 ml of anhydrous CH₂ Cl₂ was added HBr/AcOH (45%, w/v, 0.5 ml, 2.8 mmol). The reaction mixture was stirred at r.t. for 36 hrs, and then evaporated to dryness. The residue was dissolved in 20 ml of CH₂ Cl₂, washed with water (10 ml), sat. NaHCO₃ (10 ml) and dried (MgSO₄). Filtration and evaporation gave the bromosugar 14 as a syrup.

At the same time, 5-iodouracil (270 mg, 1.12 mmol) was suspended in 10 ml of HMDS and refluxed for 36 hrs. to give a homogeneous solution. It was evaporated under vacuum to dryness. To this was added a solution of 14 in anhydrous 1,2-dichloroethane, and the resulting solution was refluxed under N₂ for 1.5 days. CHCl₃ (20 ml) was added, and the solution was washed successively with water (10 ml), brine (10 ml) and sat. NaHCO₃ (10 ml) and then dried (MgSO₄). Removal of solvent gave a syrup which was crystallized in CH₂ Cl₂ to give 23 as a yellow solid (237 mg, 73%). A part of this (70 mg) was recrystallized from 2-isopropanol to give a white solid (67 mg). UV(Methanol): λ_(max) 230.0 nm, 276.0 nm.

¹ H-NMR (CDCl₃): δ8.4, 7.3 (m, 12H,Ar--H); 6.29 (dd, J_(H-H) =2.43 Hz, J_(F-H) =21.6 Hz 1H, H-1'); 5.377 (dd, J_(H-H) =2.8 Hz, J_(F-H) =61.3 Hz, 1H, H-2'); 5,55 (dd, 1H, H-3'); 4.865, 4.793 (d, 2H, H-5'); 4.588, 4.502 (m, 1H, H-4').

N₁ -(2'-deoxy-2'-fluoro-β-L-arabinofuranosyl)-5-iodouracil (24)

Compound 23 (40 mg, 0.069 mmol) was dissolved in 25 ml of sat. NH₃ /MeOH and stirred at r.t. for 24 hrs, and then evaporated to dryness. The resulting syrup was purified on preparative TLC (5:1/CHCl₃ :MeOH) to give 24 as a solid (19 mg, 74%) UV(MeOH): λ_(max) 280.5 nm.

¹ H-NMR (DMSO-d₆): δ11.82 (bs, CONH); 8.24 (s, 1H, H-6); 6.082 (dd, J_(H-H) =4.45 Hz, J_(F-H) =13.7 Hz, 1H, H-1'); 5.947 (d, 1H, 3' --OH); 5.296 (t, 1H, 5' --OH); 5.07 (dt, J_(F-H) =53 Hz, 1H, H-2'); 4.24 (bd, J_(F-H) =21 Hz, 1H, H-3'); 3.81, 3.55 (m, 3H, H-4', H-5').

2,3,5-Tri-O-benzyl-L-arabinose

As illustrated in FIG. 9, thirty grams (0.2 mol) of powdered L-arabinose (5) and then 0.4 ml of concentrated sulfuric acid were added to 600 ml (14.8 moles) of anhydrous methanol. The suspension was stirred and heated under gentle reflux to give a clear solution for 2 hrs. The reaction mixture was neutralized with 1.5 g sodium hydrogen carbonate, dried (Na₂ SO₄), and then evaporated in vacuo to give a heavy syrup 6 which was diluted with 50 ml of freshly purified tetrahydrofuran and reconcentrated (35°-40° bath) to remove residual methanol. Freshly purified tetrahydrofuran (400 ml) was added, and the mixture treated with 30 g. of Drierite, 156 g (2.78 mole) of potassium hydroxide, and 200 ml (1.74 mole) of benzyl chloride. The mixture was heated under gentle reflux overnight, cooled, filtered through a thin layer of Celite, and concentrated in vacuo, and then at high vacuo and 100° (bath). The crude, syrupy methyl 2,3,5-tri-O-benzyl-L-arabinoside (7) was dissolved in 400 ml of glacial acetic acid. The hydrolysis mixture is heated at 65°-70° for 2 hrs, concentrated in vacuo to one-third its volume, and poured into 2.5 L of a mixture of ice water. After being seeded (seeded crystals were originally obtained by chromatography being eluted with dichloromethane), the mixture was kept at 5° overnight. The aqueous layer was decant from the partially crystalline mass, and the latter was dissolved in 200 ml of dichloromethane. The solution was washed with cold, aqueous sodium hydrogen carbonate, dried (Na₂ SO₄), filtered through a thin bed of decolorizing carbon, and concentrated in vacuo to a thin syrup which was dissolved in 200 ml of cyclohexane. After being seeded⁵, the solution was kept at room temperature for 1 hr. and at 5° overnight, to give 27.7 g (33.2%) of 2,3,5-tri-O-benzyl-L-arabinose (8). m.p. 68°-73° C. α!²⁵ _(D) =-1.69 C 2.01, 9:1 (v/v p-dioxane-water)! UV(MeOH) λ_(max) 220; 300-MHz 1HNMR(CDCl₃) δ3.48-3.62(m,2H,H-5), 3.94-4.18(m,3H,H-2,3,4), 5.33(d,1H,J=4.07,H-1), 5.29(s,H-1), 7.25-7.33(m,15,H-aromat).

2,3,5-Tri-O-benzyl-1-O-(p-nitrobenzoyl)-L-arabinose (9)

Compound 8 (FIG. 9) (2 g, 4.76 mmole) was dissolved in 7.5 ml of dichloromethane, and to this solution was added a solution of 0.95 g (5.1 mmoles) of p-nitrobenzoyl chloride in a mixture of 5 ml dichloromethane and 1.5 ml of pyridine. The reaction mixture was kept at room temperature overnight, and was then washed successively with 1N hydrochloric acid (2×10 ml), aqueous sodium hydrogen carbonate (2×10 ml), and water (3×30 ml). Moisture was removed with Na₂ SO₄, and the solution was concentrated in vacuo to give 2.67 g (98.4%) of a mixture of the anomers of compound 9. mp 68°-82° C. Further purification by silica gel column chromatography (hexanes:acetone, 8:1) raise the mp to 89°-93° C.; α!²⁴ _(D) =13.04 (C6.8, CH₂ Cl₂), UV(MeOH) λ_(max) 215.5 and 258.5, 250 MHz 1NMR(CDCl₃): δ3.54-3.69 (m, 2H, H-5), 4.06 (m, 1H, H-4'), 4.22 (m, 1H, H-3'), 4.33 (m, 1H, H-2'), 4.38-4.78 (m, 6H, benzyl CH₂), 6.50 (d, 1H, J=2.35, H-1), 7.23-7.36 (m, 15H, H-aromat of benzyl group), 8.01-8.25 (m, 4H, H-acromat of nitrobenzoyl group).

10(2,3,5-Tri-O-benzyl-β-L-arabinosyl) thymine (12)

Thymine 0.444 g (3.52 mmole) and ammonium sulfate (2 mg) were suspensed in hexamethyldisilazane 10 ml, which was refluxed (140° C.) overnight under argon to give a clear solution. Excess hexamethyldisilazane was removed in vacuo while avoiding of contact of moisture to give a syrup 11.

Compound 9 (1 g, 1.76 mmole) was added to 17 ml of dichloromethane presaturated with anhydrous hydrogen chloride at 0° C. After 2 h at 0° C., the precipitated p-nitrobenzoic acid (0.25 g) was removed by filtration, and the filtrate was concentrated in vacuo to a thin syrup, and then kept at high vacuo pump at room temperature for 2 hours to give 2,3,5-tri-O-benzyl-α-L-arabinosyl chloride (10).

Compound 10 thus prepared was dissolved in 15 ml of anhydrous dichloromethane, and the solution was added to a mixture of silylated thymine (11) and 3 g of 4A molecular sieve. The reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature under argon for 18h. The reaction mixture was diluted with 50 ml of dichloromethane, and poured into 2 ml of saturated aqueous NaHCO₃ under vigorous stirring. White precipitate (tin hydroxide) appeared, which was filtered out on the bed of celite. The organic layer was separated from water and washed with water (3×30 ml). The aqueous layer was extracted with dichloromethane, and the combined dichloromethane layer was dried over Na₂ SO₄, and then evaporated in vacuo to give a syrup which was purified by silica gel column chromatography (chloroform:methanol, 100:1) to give 12 as a syrup 0.68 g (73%). α!²⁵ _(D) =-56.71 (C 0.6, CH₂ Cl₂).

UV(MeOH) λ_(max) 218 and 265; 300 MHz 1HNMR(CDCl₃): δ1.67 (d,3H,J=1.11,CH₃), 3.66-3.70 (m, 2H, H-5') 4.06 (m, 1H, H-4'), 4.13 (t, 1H, J=4.7, H-3'), 4.24 (t, 1H, J=4.7, H-2'), 4.41, 4.54, 4.56 (m, 6H, benzyl CH₂), 6.28 (d, 1H, J=5.24, H-1'), 7.15-7.33 (m, 15H, H-aromat), 7.43 (d, 1H, J=1.31, H-6).

1-β-L-arabinofuranosylthymine (13)

Palladium chloride (680 mg, 3.835 mmole) was suspended in 100 ml of methanol, and reduced by shaking with hydrogen at room temperature. A solution of 450 mg of 12 in 25 ml of methanol was then added to the acidic suspension of palladium black. The reaction mixture was shaken with hydrogen at room temperature for 38 hrs. After the catalyst had been removed, the solution was neutralized with Dowex (HCO₃₋) to pH 7 and concentrated in vacuo to a white solid which was recrystallized with ethanol to give 13 (105 mg, 47.7%). m.p. 244°-249° C. α!²⁵ _(D) =-91.48 (0.25, H2O); IR(KBr): 1750, 1600 cm⁻¹ (CO); UV (MeOH): λ_(max) 268; 300 MHz 1HNMR(DMSO-d₆): δ1.76 (s, 3H, CH₃), 3.62 (t, 2H, J=4.56, H-5') 3.69 (m, 1H, H-4'), 3.90 (t, 1H, J=3.88, H-3'), 3.99 (t, 1H, J=4.10, H-2'), 5.08 (br s, 1H, C'5-OH, exchangeable), 5.42 (d, 1H, J=4.24, C'2-OH or C'3-OH, exchangeable), 5.54 (d, 1H, J=5.23, C'2-OH or C'3-OH, exchangeable), 5.97 (d, 1H, J=4.64, H-1'), 7.51 (d, 1H, J=0.97, H-6), 11.26 (s, 1H, NH, exchangeable). Anal. Calcd. for C₁₀ H₁₄ N₂ O₆ ; C, 46.51; H, 5.46; N, 10.85; found: C, 46.67; H, 5.63; N, 10.56.

1-(2,3,5-Tri-O-benzyl-β-L-arabinosyl)cytosine (15)

Cytosine 0.61 g (6 mmole) and ammonium sulfate (2 mg) were suspended in hexamethyldisilazane 15 ml, which was refluxed (140° C.) under nitrogen for 2 hours to give a clear solution. The silylated cytosine mixture was evaporated to dryness in vacuo while avoiding of contact with moisture to give a syrup 14.

Compound 9 (2.82 g, 5 mmole) was added to 47 ml of dry dichloromethane presaturated with anhydrous hydrogen chloride at 0° C. After 2 hours at 0° C., the precipitated p-nitrobenzoic acid (0.807 g) was removed by filtration, and the filtrate was concentrated in vacuo to give syrupy 2,3,5-tri-O-benzyl-α-L-arabinosyl chloride (10).

Compound 10 thus prepared was dissolved in 28.5 ml of anhydrous dichloromethane, and the solution was added to a mixture of silylated cytosine (14) and 8.3 g of 5A molecular sieve. The reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature under nitrogen for 5 days. Then the reaction mixture was then diluted with 50 ml of dichloromethane and 20 ml of water, and poured into 2 ml of saturated aqueous NaHCO₃ under vigorous stirring. White precipitate (tin hydroxide) appeared, which was filtered out on the bed of celite. The organic layer was separated from water and washed with water (3×30 ml). The aqueous layer was extracted with dichloromethane, and the combined dichloromethane layer was dried over Na₂ SO₄, and then evaporated in vacuo to give a syrup which was purified by silica gel column chromatography (chloroform: methanol, 96:4) to give 15 as a white solid which was recrystallized with 2-propanol to give 1.53 g (60%). m.p. 146°-148° C., α!²⁵ _(D) =-105.2 (Cl, CH₂ Cl₂), UV(MeOH): λ_(max) 211.5, λmin 272.5, pH1, pH7; λmax 211.5, λ_(min) 284, pH9. 300 MHz 1HNMR(CDCl₃) δ: 3.65 (d, 2H, J=4.85, H-5'), 4.00 (t, 1H, J=3.72, H-3'), 4.11 (m, 1H, H-4'), 4.28 (m, 1H, H-2'), 4.38-4.55 (m, 6H, benzyl CH₂), 5.56 (d, 1H, J-7.5, H-5), 6.39 (d, 1H, J=4.59, H-1'), 7.12-7.31 (m, 15H, H-aromat), 7.63 (d, 1H, J=7.5, H-6).

1-β-L-Arabinofuranosylcytosine Hydrochloride Salt(16) by Catalytic Hydrogenation of 15

Palladium chloride (315 mg, 1.78 mmole) was suspended in 160 ml of methanol, and reduced by shaking with hydrogen at room temperature. To the acidic suspension of palladium black was then added a solution of 300 mg of 15 in 54 ml of methanol. The reaction mixture was shaken with hydrogen at room temperature for 3 hours. After the catalyst had been removed, the solution was neutralized with Dowex (HCO₃₋), concentrated in vacuo and then purified by preparative TLC (MeOH:CHCl₃, 3:5) to give a syrup which was dissolved in 3 ml of methanol, added 1% HCl solution in MeOH to pH1, concentrated to dryness and triturated with 2-propanol to give 36 mg (22.1%) of 16. m.p. 190°-194° C., α!²⁵ _(D) =-115.47 (C 0.07, H2O); UV(H2O) λ_(max) 275, pH7; λ_(max) 209.5, 273, pH11; λ_(max) 280, pH1; 300 MHz 1HNMR(DMSO-d6); δ3.61 (d, 2H, H-5'), 3.82 (m, 1H, H-4'), 3.93 (m, 1H, H-2' or H-3'), 4.04 (br s, 1H, H-2') or H-3'), 5.18 (br s, 1H, C5' --OH, exchangeable), 5.61 (br s, 1H, C2' --OH or C3' --OH, exchangeable), 5.67 (br s, 1H, C2' --OH or C3' --OH, exchangeable), 6.00 (d, 1H, J=4.02, H-1'), 6.01 (d, 1H, J₅.6 =7.8, H-5) 7.92 (d, 1H, J₅.6 =7.8, H-6), 8.49 (br s, 1H, NH, exchangeable), 9.38 (br s, 1H, NH, exchangeable).

1-β-L-Arabinofuranosylcytosine Hydrochloride Salt (16) by Treatment of Compound 15 with Boron Trichloride

5 ml of 1M boron trichloride in dichloromethane was cooled at -72° C. (dry ice-acetone). A solution of 15 (180 mg, 0.351 mmole) in 3 ml of dichloromethane was added slowly to the boron trichloride solution. After a total reaction time of 2.75 hours, the cooling bath was removed and the solvent and gas were removed in vacuo. The residue was dissolved in cold dichloromethane (10 ml) and the solution was evaporated to dryness (3 times, until a white solid residue was obtained), cold saturated sodium hydrogen carbonate solution was added to adjust the pH to 6-7. The mixture was diluted with ethanol, heated to boiling, treated with charcoal, and filtered. The filtrate was evaporated to dryness to a syrup which was dissolved 3 ml of methanol, added 1% HCl solution in methanol to pH 1, concentrated to dryness and triturated with 2-propanol to give 16 (66 mg, 78.4%).

9-(2,3,5-Tri-O-benzyl-β-L-arabinosyl) adenine (18)

Thoroughly dried compound 9 (5 g, 8.8 mmole) was added to 82 ml of dichloromethane presaturated with anhydrous hydrogen chloride at 0°. After 2 hours of reaction at 0°, the precipitated p-nitrobenzoic acid (1.53 g) was removed by filtration, and the filtrate was concentrated in vacuo to a syrup which was then kept in full vacuo at room temperature for 2 hrs. The 2,3,5-tri-O-benzyl-α-L-arabinosyl chloride (10) thus prepared was dissolved in 50 ml of dichloromethane, and the solution was added to a mixture of 4.5 g (18.8 mmole) of dried N-benzoyladenine⁵ (17) and 14.5 g of 4A molecular sieve. The reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature for 1 week, filtered through a bed of celite, and concentrated in vacuo to a syrup which was chromatographed on silica gel using hexanes-acetone (3:1, Rf=0.22). The product was separated and concentrated in vacuo to a syrup which was dissolved and stirred with methanolic ammonia (20 ml) in a stainless-steel bomb, and heated overnight at 50°-55° C. The solution was then concentrated at reduced pressure to give a semisolid which was recrystallized from warm isopropyl alcohol to give 18 2.4 g (50.7%). m.p. 128°-129° C. α!²⁷ _(D) =-20.04 (1.04, CH₂ Cl₂); UV(CH₂ Cl₂): λ_(max) 213, 258.5; 250 MHz 1HNMR(CDCl₃): δ1.95 (br s, 1H, NH, exchangeable), 3.69 (d, 2H, J=4.82, H-5'), 4.18-4.30 (m, 6H, benzyl CH₂), 4.51-4.64 (m, 3H, H-2',3',4'), 5.73 (br s, 1H, NH, exchangeable), 6.52 (d, 1H, J-4.00, H-1'), 6.89-6.93, 7.17-7.37 (m, 15H, H-aromat of benzyl group), 8.17 (s, 1H, H-2 or H-8), 8.32 (s, 1H, H-2 or H-8).

9-β-L-Arabinofuranosyladenine (19)

Boron trichloride (5 ml of 1M) in dichloromethane was cooled at -72° C. (Dry Ice-acetone). A solution of 18 (150 mg, 0.279 mmole) in 5 ml of dichloromethane was added slowly to the boron trichloride solution. After a total reaction time of 3.5 h, the cooling bath was removed, and the solvent and gas were removed in vacuo. The residue was dissolved in cold dichloromethane (10 ml) and the solution was evaporated to dryness (6 times, until a yellow solid residue was obtained). Cold saturated sodium hydrogen carbonate solution was added to adjust the pH 7-8. The mixture was diluted with ethanol, heated to boiling, the suspension filtered through celite, the filtrate was concentrated in vacuo to a syrup which was crystallized with water. 55 mg (74%) of 19 was obtained. m.p. 256°-258° C., UV (H₂ O) λ_(max) 259; 300 MHz 1HNMR(DMSO-d6): δ: 3.62-3.66 (m, 2H, H-5'), 3.77 (br s, 1H, H-4'), 4.13 (br s, 2H, H-2', 3'), 5.12 (t, 1H, J=5.4, C'5-OH, exchangeable), 5.54 (d, 1H, J=3.78, C'2-OH or C'3-OH, exchangeable), 5.63 (d, 1H, J=4.32, C'2-OH or C'3-OH, exchangeable), 6.25 (d, 1H, J=4.02, H-1'), 7.25 (br s, 2H, NH2, exchangeable), 8.13 (s, 1H-H-2 or H-8), 8.18 (s, 1H, H-2 or H-8).

FIG. 10 is an illustration of an alternative route for the preparation of 1-O-acetyl-2,3,5-tri-O-benzoyl-β-L-ribofuranose (compound 10) from 1,2-di-O-isopropylidene-α-L-xylofuranose (compound 3).

1,2-Di-O-isopropylidene-α-L-xylofuranose (3)

To 650 ml of anhydrous acetone was added 4 ml of conc. sulfuric acid, 5 g of molecular sieve (4A), 80 g of anhydrous cupric sulfate and 40 g of L-xylose. The mixture was stirred at r.t. for 36 hrs. The reaction mixture was then filtered and washed thoroughly with acetone, the combined filtrate was neutralized with ammonium hydroxide then evaporated to dryness. Ethyl acetate (200 ml) was added, and then filtered and evaporated, yielding an oil which was dissolved in 250 ml of 0.2% HCl and solution and stirred at room temperature for 2.5 hrs. The pH was adjusted to 8 with sat. NaHCO₃, and then evaporated to dryness. The residue was extracted with ethyl acetate. Removal of the solvent provided a yellow oil of 3 (41.7 g, 82.3%). ¹ H-NMR(CDCl₃): δ5.979 (d, J=3.78 Hz,1H, H-1); 4.519 (d, J=3.6 Hz, 1H, H-2); 4.308 (bd, 1H, H-3); 4.080 (m, 3H, H-4 and H-5); 1.321 (s, 3H, CH₃); 1.253 (s, 3H, CH₃).

5-O-Benzoyl-1,2-di-O-isopropylidene-α-L-xylofuranose (25)

Compound 3 (41 g, 215.6 mmol) was stirred in pyridine (150 ml) and CH₂ Cl₂ (150 ml) at 0° C. BzCl (27.5 ml, 237 mmol) dissolved in 30 ml of pyridine was added dropwise. After 30 min, water (5 ml) was added and the mixture was evaporated to dryness, dissolved in EtOAc, washed with sat. NaHCO₃, and then dried (Na₂ SO₄). Evaporation of solvent gave an orange syrup which was crystallized in Et₂ O to give compound 20 (36 g). The mother liquor was evaporated to dryness, and the residue purified by silica gel column chromatography (1% CH₃ OH/CHCl₃) to give another batch of compound 25 (12 g, total yield 76%). m.p. 82°-83° C. lit¹ D form: 83.5°-84.5° C. ¹ H-NMR (CDCl₃): δ7.43, 8.07 (m, 5H, Ar--H); 5.97 (d, 1H, J=3.6 Hz, H-1); 4.80 (q, 1H, H-4); 4.60 (d, 1H, J=3.6 Hz, H-2); 4.40, 4.20 (m, 3H, H-5, H-5', H-3); 3.50 (bs, 1H, D₂ O exchange, 3OH); 1.51, 1.32 (2s, 6H, 2CH₃).

5-O-Benzoyl-1,2-di-O-isopropylidene-α-L-erythropentofuranos-3-ulose (26)

Compound 25 (40 g, 136 mmol) was stirred in 450 ml of CH₂ Cl₂. To this was added pyridinium dichromate (PDC, 30.7 g, 81.6 mmol) and Ac₂ O (42.3 ml, 448.8 mmol). The mixture was refluxed for 2.5 hrs. The solution was concentrated to 1/5 its original volume, and then ethyl acetate (50 ml) was added, and the solution filtered. The filtrate was poured onto a silica gel pad (10 cm×5 cm), eluted with EtOAc, the combined eluant was concentrated, and coevaporated with toluene (50 ml×2). Cyrstallization from hexane and EtOAc gave 21 as a white solid (38 g, 96%). m.p 91°-93° C., α!_(D) : -132° (c,1.0, CHCl₃); lit² D form: m.p. 93°-94.5° C., α!_(D) : +135° (c,1.0, CHCl₃); IR (KBr): 1773 cm- (ArCO), 173° Cm- (CO). ¹ H-NMR (CDCl₃): δ7.97, 7.42 (m, 5H, Ar--H); 6.14 (d, 1H, J=4.4 Hz, H-1); 4.74, 4.68 (m, 2H, H-4, H-2); 4.50 4.44 (m, 2H, H-5, H-5'); 1.52, 1.44 (2s, 6H, 2CH₃). Anal. Calcd. (C₁₅ H₁₆ O₆): C, 61.64; H, 5.52; Found: C, 61.42; H, 5.53.

5-O-Benzoyl-1,2-di-O-isopropylidene-α-L-erythropentofuranos-3-ulose (26)

Compound 25 (40 g, 136 mmol) was stirred in 450 ml of CH₂ Cl₂. To this was added pyridinium dichromate (PDC, 30.7 g, 81.6 mmol) and Ac₂ O (42.3 ml, 448.8 mmol). The mixture was refluxed for 2.5 hrs. The solution was concentrated to 1/5 its original volume, and then EtOAc (50 ml) was added. The solution was filtered, the filtrate was poured onto a silica gel pad (10 cm×5 cm), eluted with is EtOAc, the combined eluant was concentrated, and coevaporated with toluene (50 ml×2). Cyrstallization from hexane and EtOAc gave 26 as a white solid (38 g, 96%). m.p 91°-93° C., α!_(D) : -132° (c,1.0, CHCl₃); lit² D form: m.p. 93°-94.5° C., α!_(D) : +135° (c,1.0, CHCl₃); IR (KBr): 1773 cm- (ArCO), 173° Cm- (CO). 1H-NMR (CDCl₃): δ7.97, 7.42 (m, 5H, Ar--H); 6.14 (d, 1H, J=4.4 Hz, H-1); 4.74, 4.68 (m, 2H, H-4, H-2); 4.50 4.44 (m, 2H, H-5, H-5'); 1.52, 1.44 (2s, 6H, 2CH₃). Anal. Calcd. (C₁₅ H₁₆ O₆): C, 61.64; H, 5.52; Found: C, 61.42; H, 5.53.

1,2-Di-O-isopropylidene-α-L-ribofuranose (27)

Compound 26 (37 g, 127 mmol) was dissolved in EtOH/H₂ O (400 ml/100 ml) at 0° C., while NaBH₄ (23.3 g, 612 mmol) was added portionwise. The suspension was stirred at r.t. for 4 hrs. It was filtered and the filtrate evaporated to dryness and coevaporated with methanol. After silica gel column chromatography (0-15% CH₃ OH/CH₂ Cl₂) and crystallization from EtOAc/Hexane, 27 was obtained as white needle (19 g, 79%). m.p. 86°-87° C.; α!_(D) -31.5° (c, 0.62, CHCl₃); lit³, D form: m.p. 86°-87° C., α!_(D) :+37° (c, 0.59, CHCl₃); IR (KBr): 3356 cm- (OH). ¹ H-NMR (CDCl₃) δ5.83 (d, 1H, J=3.98 Hz, H-1); 4.595 (t, 1H, H-2); 4.055, 3.72 (m, 4H, H-3, H-4, H-5, H-5'); 2.38 (d, 1H, D₂ O exchange, 3-OH); 1.83 (t, 1H, D₂ O exchange, 5-OH); 1.58, 1.38 (2s, 6H, 2CH₃). Anal. Calcd. (C₈ H₁₄ O₅): C, 50.50; H, 7.42; Found: C, 50.62; H, 7.46.

3,5-Di-O-Benzoyl-1,2-di-O-Isopropylidene-α-L-ribofuranose (28)

Compound 27 (19 g, 100 mmol) was stirred in 300 ml of pyridine at 0° C., while BzCl (40 ml, 348 mmol) was added dropwise and then stirred at 4.t. for 3 hrs. The solvent was evaporated to dryness. The residue was extracted with EtOAc, washed with sat. NaHCO₃, dried (Na₂ SO₄), evaporation of solvent and crystallization in either gave 23 as a white solid of 39 g (98%) m.p. 83°-85° C. ¹ H-NMR (CDCl₃): δ8.07, 7.36 (m, 10H, Ar--H); 5.94 (d, 1H, J=3.6 Hz, H-1); 5.05, 5.00 (m, 1H, H-2); 4.73, 4.63 (m, 3H, H-4, H-5, H-5'); 1.58, 1.35 (2s, 6H, 2CH₃). Anal. Calcd. (C₂₂ H₂₂ O₇): C, 66.50; H, 5.64; Found: C, 66.32; H, 5.57.

1-O-Acetyl-2,3,5-tri-O-benzoyl-β-L-ribofuranose (31)

Compound 28 (38 g, 95 mmol) was stirred in 300 ml of 1% HCl/CH₃ OH at r.t. for 30 hrs. Pyridine (20 ml) was added and then the solution was evaporated to dryness. The residue was coevaporated with pyridine (30 ml×2), and then dissolved in 100 ml of anhydrous pyridine at 0° C. while BzCl (17 ml, 146 mmol) was added dropwise, then stirred at r.t. for 3 hrs. The solvent was evaporated, and the residue was dissolved in EtOAc, washed with 0.5N HCl and then sat. NaHCO₃, and then dried (Na₂ SO₄). Evaporation of solvent gave crude 30 as a syrup.

The crude 30 was stirred in glacial acetic acid (400 ml), and then Ac₂ O (100 ml) at 0° C. while conc. H₂ SO₄ (10 ml) was added dropwise. This solution was stirred at r.t. overnight. The mixture was poured into ice-water, extracted with CHCl₃, neutralized with sat. NaHCO₃, and then dried (Na₂ SO₄). After evaporation of solvent, a light yellow syrup was obtained, which was crystallized in methanol to give 31 as a white solid of 23.89 g (49.6%, from 28-31). m.p.124.7° C., α!_(D) =45.613 (c 1.0, CHCl₃); lit⁴, m.p. :129°-130° C., α!_(D) =-43.6 (c 1.0, CHCl₃).

¹ H-NMR(CDCl₃): δ7.317, 8.134 (m, 15H, OBz); 6.437 (s, 1H, H-1); 5.835 (m, 2H, H-2 and H-3); 4.649 (m, 3H, H-4 and H-5); 2.003(s, 3H, CH₃ COO--).

II. Biological Activity

The compounds disclosed herein can be evaluated for activity against HBV and EBV as disclosed in detail below, or by other methods known to those skilled in the art.

EXAMPLE 1 Biological Activity Against HBV

Human hepatoma cells with HBV (2.2.15 cells) were used in the assay. These cells were grown to confluence in minimal essential medium with 10% fetal bovine serum. The media was changed at 3-day intervals. At confluence the treatment with the drugs was initiated and then continued for three days. Another addition of the same concentration of the drug was given at this point after removal of the media from the cultures and cultures maintained for an additional period of 3 days. The medium after the 6-day treatment was harvested and the viral particles precipitated by the polyethylene glycol method. The particles were subsequently digested and then processed for Southern analysis. The blots were hybridized to an HBV-specific probe and viral DNA amounts assessed in comparison to DNA levels from cultures not treated with the drugs. The genomic DNA was digested with Hind III and subjected to Southern analysis. Levels of the episomal DNA were determined in relation to the integrated HBV DNA. The drug concentrations that cause 50% inhibition of the DNA (ID₅₀) as compared to the controls were calculated. The results are summarized in Table I.

                  TABLE 1                                                          ______________________________________                                         Inhibition of HBV by L-Nucleosides                                                     Anti-HBV Activity                                                                            MT2       CEM   CD.sub.50 (μM)                        Compound                                                                               ID.sub.50 (μM)                                                                            CD.sub.50 (μM)                                                                        CD.sub.50                                                                            (Hl cells)                               ______________________________________                                         L-FMAU  0.1           100       >100  1000                                     D-FMAU  2.0           8-9       10    50                                       D-FEAU  5.0           100       90    2000                                     L-FEAU  >5.0          100       >100  900                                      ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE 2 Biological Activity Against EBV

H1 cells were maintained in long phase growth for two days prior to the initiation of treatment. The cells were centrifuged at 600 g for 10 min. at room temperature to separate them from the medium containing pre-existing virus particles. The H1 cells were seeded in 24 well plates at a density of 1×10⁵ cells per well in 2 ml of fresh medium with or without drug and incubated at 37° C. for 5 days. The medium containing virion was saved and used for evaluating the inhibitory effect of drugs on virus production and infectivity by use of a bioassay. The virion were pelleted from the cell free medium by centrifugation at 45,000 rpm for 90 min. in a SW-50 Ti rotor (Beckman). The virion were resuspended in 1 ml growth medium and then used to infect 1×10⁶ Raji cells for 48 hours. Since the level of EBV DP activity in Raji cells post superinfection is proportional to the number of virions added, the EBV specific DP activity induced was able to be measured. The inhibitory drug effect was calculated by comparing the EBV DP activity to multiple dilution controls. No inhibition of mitochondrial DNA content in H1 cells was observed when the cells were treated by 1 mM L-FMAU for 6 days.

Slot Blot Assay--The amount of mitochondrial DNA was measured by the slot blot method (2). 2×10⁵ of the treated and non-treated H1 cells were lysed in 200 μl of 10 mM of Tris.HCl (pH 7.5) solution by the freeze/thaw method. The cell lysate was treated with 10 μg/ml of RNase A at 37° C. for 30 min, and then proteinase K (100 μg/ml) at 55° C. for 2 hours. Equal amounts of 20×SSC buffer was added to each cell Lysate. After boiling for 10 min, the samples were spotted onto nylon membranes (Hybond-N, Amersham Corp.). A radiolabelled human mitochondrial DNA fragment was used as a probe for DNA hybridization. The same membranes were reprobed with human Alu DNA after removing the mitochondrial DNA probe. The amount of mitochondrial DNA in the treated and non-treated H1 cells was quantified by densitometer (LKB Ultroscan XL).

The results are provided in Table 2.

                  TABLE 2                                                          ______________________________________                                         Drugs CD.sub.50 (μM)                                                                         ID.sub.90 (μM)                                                                        Therapeutic Index (CD.sub.50 /ID.sub.90)            ______________________________________                                         PFA   1200 ± 100                                                                             75 ± 5 16                                                  DHPG  75 ± 6   5 ± 1 15                                                  ACV   1000 ± 75                                                                              50 ± 8 20                                                  PCV   500 ± 55                                                                               20 ± 2 25                                                  L-FMAU                                                                               1000 ± 80                                                                                5 ± 0.8                                                                             200                                                 D-FMAU                                                                                50 ± 10                                                                                0.1 ± 0.02                                                                           50                                                  L-FEAU                                                                               900 ± 70                                                                                60 ± 11                                                                              15                                                  D-FEAU                                                                               2000 ± 80                                                                                 1 ± 0.05                                                                           2000                                                L-FIAC                                                                               400 ± 35                                                                               <10       >40                                                 D-FIAC                                                                               125 ± 15                                                                                 5 ± 0.5                                                                             25                                                  L-FIAU                                                                               240 ± 20                                                                               20 ± 4 12                                                  D-FIAU                                                                               20 ± 4   0.5 ± 0.05                                                                           40                                                  ______________________________________                                          Inhibitory effect of compounds on EBV: The CD.sub.50 was performed by          exposing Hl cells to different concentrations of the compounds in normal       growth medium at 37° C. for 72 hours; the cells were then counted       and compared with controls. Hl cells were treated for 5 days and the           ID.sub.90 was determined by bioassay.                                    

EXAMPLE 3 Clearance of L-(-)-FMAU from Plasma and Liver

The clearance of L-(-)-FMAU from the plasma and liver of mice after oral administration was evaluated. Mice were injected with L-(-)-FMAU which was tritium labeled (radiospecificity of 9.3 μmol/μCi).

FIG. 11 is a graph of the plasma concentration of L-(-)-FMAU in mice after oral administration 10 over time, and FIG. 12 is a graph of the concentration of L-(-)-FMAU in mouse liver after oral administration over time (cross, 10 mg/kg administered bid (bi-daily) for 30 days prior to pharmacokinetic study and then study carried out on day thirty one on administration of same concentration; dark circle, 50 mg/kg administered bid for 30 days prior to study and then study carried out on day thirty one on administration of same concentration; open circle, 50 mg/kg administered for the first time on the first day of the study).

At the times indicated (see FIGS. 10 and 11) the mice were bled from their retro-orbital sinus using heparinized capillaries. The plasma was extracted with trichloroacetic acid and neutralized with freon/trioctylamine. Supernatants were directly counted and the concentration calculated.

As indicated in FIGS. 10 and 11, the peak concentration of L-(-)-FMAU in the plasma and liver 30 occurred at approximately one hour. The compound was substantially cleared from both plasma and liver after four hours.

EXAMPLE 4 Toxicity of L-(-)-FMAU in BDF1 Female Mice

FIG. 13a illustrates the change in body weight over thirty days of control BDF1 female mice. FIGS. 13b and 13c illustrate the change in body weight over thirty days of BDF1 female mice dosed with 10 mg/kg (13b) and 50 mg/kg (13c) bid of L-(-)-FMAU. The body weight presented represents the mean and standard deviation of that of five to seven mice. As indicated in FIGS. 13b and 13c, L-(-)-FMAU did not appear to significantly affect the weight of the mice over thirty days, indicating that the compound was well tolerated.

EXAMPLE 5 Clinical Chemistry of Mouse Plasma after L-(-)-FMAU Treatment

FIGS. 14-20 provide the clinical chemistry of mouse plasma after administration of L-(-)-FMAU at 10 mg/kg (three mice) or 50 mg/kg (three mice) bid for thirty days.

FIG. 14 is a bar chart graph of the concentration of total bilirubin in the mouse plasma in mg/dL. FIG. 15 is a bar chart graph of the concentration of alkaline phosphatase in the mouse plasma in U/L. Total bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase are indicators of liver function. The mouse values for the bilirubin fall within the normal human range (less than 1.2 mg/dL), but those for alkaline phosphatase are somewhat higher than the normal human level (30-114 U/L).

FIG. 16 is a bar chart graph of the concentration of creatinine in the mouse plasma in mg/dL. Creatinine is an index of kidney function. With the exception of mouse 50-2, the creatinine levels of the treated mice are not different from those of the control mice.

FIG. 17 is a bar chart graph of the concentration of AST (SGOT, serum glutamic oxalic transaminase) in the mouse plasma in U/L. FIG. 18 is a bar chart graph of the concentration of ALT (SGPT, serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase) in the mouse plasma in U/L. SGOT and SGPT are indicators of liver function. With the exception of mouse 50-2 (for both SGOT and SGPT) and mouse 10-2 (for SGOT only), the enzyme levels of the treated mice are not different from those of the control mice.

FIG. 19 is a bar chart graph of the concentration of lactic acid in the mouse plasma in mmol/L. FIG. 20 is a bar chart graph of the concentration of lactic dehydrogenase in the mouse plasma in U/L. Lactic acid is formed in muscles during glycolysis. Lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) is present as different isoenzymes in different tissues. Release of LDH into plasma may be an indication of tissue damage. The lactic acid and lactic dehydrogenase levels of the treated mice are not significantly different from those of the control mice.

III. Oligonucleotides

Oligonucleotides of desired sequences can be modified by substitution of one or more of the L-nucleosides disclosed herein for a nucleoside in the oligonucleotide. In a preferred embodiment the L-nucleoside is placed at one of the termini of the oligonucleotide. The modified oligonucleotide can be used, for example, in antisense technology.

Antisense technology refers in general to the modulation of gene expression through a process wherein a synthetic oligonucleotide is hybridized to a complementary nucleic acid sequence to inhibit transcription or replication (if the target sequence is DNA), inhibit translation (if the target sequence is RNA) or to inhibit processing (if the target sequence is pre-RNA). A wide variety of cellular activities can be modulated using this technique. A simple example is the inhibition of protein biosynthesis by an antisense oligonucleotide bound to mRNA. In another embodiment, a synthetic oligonucleotide is hybridized to a specific gene sequence in double stranded DNA, forming a triple stranded complex (triplex) that inhibits the expression of that gene sequence. Antisense oligonucleotides can be also used to activate gene expression indirectly by suppressing the biosynthesis of a natural repressor. AOT can be used to inhibit the expression of pathogenic genes, for example, those that facilitate the replication of viruses, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and herpesviruses, and cancers, particularly solid tumor masses such as gliomas, breast cancer, and melanomas.

The stability of a selected oligonucleotide against nucleases is an important factor for in vivo applications. It is known that 3'-exonuclease activity is responsible for most of the unmodified antisense oligonucleotide degradation in serum. Vlassov, V. V., Yakubov, L. A., in Prospects for Antisense Nucleic Acid Therapy of Cancers and AIDS, 1991, 243-266, Wiley-Liss, Inc., New York; Nucleic Acids Res., 1993, 21, 145. In one embodiment, the L-nucleosides disclosed herein can be used to minimize 3'-exonuclease degradation of antisense oligonucleotides.

Oligonucleotides of the present invention which are capable of binding to polyribonucleic acid or polydeoxyribonucleic acid are useful as antisense agents in the same manner as conventional antisense agents. See generally Antisense Molecular Biology and S-oligos, Synthesis 1 (October 1988) (published by Synthecell Corp., Rockville, Md.); 2 Discoveries in Antisense Nucleic Acids (C. Brakel and R. Fraley eds. 1989); Uhlmann, et. al., "Antisense Oligonucleotides: A New Therapeutic Technique," Chem. Rev. 90(4), 1990; and Milligan, J. F., Matteucci, M. D., Martin, J. C., J. Med. Chem., 1993, 36, 1923-1937. Antisense agents of the present invention may be used by constructing an antisense agent which is capable of selectively binding to a predetermined polydeoxyribonucleic acid sequence or polyribonucleic acid sequence to a cell containing such sequence (e.g., by adding the antisense agent to a culture medium containing the cell) so that the antisense agent is taken into the cell, binds to the predetermined sequence, and blocks transcription, translation, or replication thereof. The requirements for selective binding of the antisense agent are known (e.g., a length of 17 bases for selective binding within the human genome).

IV. Preparation of Pharmaceutical Compositions

The compounds disclosed herein and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, prodrugs, and derivatives, are useful in the prevention and treatment of HBV and EBV infections and other related conditions such as anti-HBV or anti-EBV antibody positive and HBV- or EBV-positive conditions, chronic liver inflammation caused by HBV, cirrhosis, acute hepatitis, fulminant hepatitis, chronic persistent hepatitis, and fatigue. These compounds or formulations can also be used prophylactically to prevent or retard the progression of clinical illness in individuals who are anti-HBV anti-EBV antibody or HBV- or EBV-antigen positive or who have been exposed to HBV or EBV.

Humans suffering from any of these conditions can be treated by administering to the patient an effective HBV- or EBV- treatment amount of one or a mixture of the active compounds described herein or a pharmaceutically acceptable derivative or salt thereof, optionally in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent. The active materials can be administered by any appropriate route, for example, orally, parenterally, intravenously, intradermally, subcutaneously, or topically, in liquid or solid form.

The active compound is included in the pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent in an amount sufficient to deliver to a patient a therapeutically effective amount without causing serious toxic effects in the patient treated.

A preferred dose of the active compound for all of the above-mentioned conditions will be in the range from about 1 to 60 mg/kg, preferably 1 to 20 mg/kg, of body weight per day, more generally 0.1 to about 100 mg per kilogram body weight of the recipient per day. The effective dosage range of the pharmaceutically acceptable derivatives can be calculated based on the weight of the parent nucleoside to be delivered. If the derivative exhibits activity in itself, the effective dosage can be estimated as above using the weight of the derivative, or by other means known to those skilled in the art. In one embodiment, the active compound is administered as described in the product insert or Physician's Desk Reference for 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (AZT), 2',3'-dideoxyinosine (DDI), 2',3'-dideoxycytidine (DDC), or 2',3'-dideoxy-2',3'-didehydrothymidine (D4T) for HIV indication.

The compound is conveniently administered in unit any suitable dosage form, including but not limited to one containing 7 to 3000 mg, preferably 70 to 1400 mg of active ingredient per unit dosage form. A oral dosage of 50-1000 mg is usually convenient.

Ideally the active ingredient should be administered to achieve peak plasma concentrations of the active compound of from about 0.2 to 70 μM, preferably about 1.0 to 10 μM. This may be achieved, for example, by the intravenous injection of a 0.1 to 5% solution of the active ingredient, optionally in saline, or administered as a bolus of the active ingredient.

The active compound can be provided in the form of pharmaceutically acceptable salts. As used herein, the term pharmaceutically acceptable salts or complexes refers to salts or complexes of the nucleosides that retain the desired biological activity of the parent compound and exhibit minimal, if any, undesired toxicological effects. Nonlimiting examples of such salts are (a) acid addition salts formed with inorganic acids (for example, hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, nitric acid, and the like), and salts formed with organic acids such as acetic acid, oxalic acid, tartaric acid, succinic acid, malic acid, ascorbic acid, benzoic acid, tannic acid, pamoic acid, alginic acid, polyglutamic acid, naphthalenesulfonic acids, naphthalenedisulfonic acids, and polygalacturonic acid; (b) base addition salts formed with cations such as sodium, potassium, zinc, calcium, bismuth, barium, magnesium, aluminum, copper, cobalt, nickel, cadmium, sodium, potassium, and the like, or with an organic cation formed from N,N-dibenzylethylene-diamine, ammonium, or ethylenediamine; or (c) combinations of (a) and (b); e.g., a zinc tannate salt or the like.

Modifications of the active compound, specifically at the N⁶ or N⁴ and 5'-O positions, can affect the bioavailability and rate of metabolism of the active species, thus providing control over the delivery of the active species.

The concentration of active compound in the drug composition will depend on absorption, inactivation, and excretion rates of the drug as well as other factors known to those of skill in the art. It is to be noted that dosage values will also vary with the severity of the condition to be alleviated. It is to be further understood that for any particular subject, specific dosage regimens should be adjusted over time according to the individual need and the professional judgment of the person administering or supervising the administration of the compositions, and that the concentration ranges set forth herein are exemplary only and are not intended to limit the scope or practice of the claimed composition. The active ingredient may be administered at once, or may be divided into a number of smaller doses to be administered at varying intervals of time.

A preferred mode of administration of the active compound is oral. Oral compositions will generally include an inert diluent or an edible carrier. They may be enclosed in gelatin capsules or compressed into tablets. For the purpose of oral therapeutic administration, the active compound can be incorporated with excipients and used in the form of tablets, troches, or capsules. Pharmaceutically compatible binding agents, and/or adjuvant materials can be included as part of the composition.

The tablets, pills, capsules, troches and the like can contain any of the following ingredients, or compounds of a similar nature: a binder such as microcrystalline cellulose, gum tragacanth or gelatin; an excipient such as starch or lactose, a disintegrating agent such as alginic acid, Primogel, or corn starch; a lubricant such as magnesium stearate or Sterotes; a glidant such as colloidal silicon dioxide; a sweetening agent such as sucrose or saccharin; or a flavoring agent such as peppermint, methyl salicylate, or orange flavoring. When the dosage unit form is a capsule, it can contain, in addition to material of the above type, a liquid carrier such as a fatty oil. In addition, dosage unit forms can contain various other materials which modify the physical form of the dosage unit, for example, coatings of sugar, shellac, or other enteric agents.

The active compound or pharmaceutically acceptable salt or derivative thereof can be administered as a component of an elixir, suspension, syrup, wafer, chewing gum or the like. A syrup may contain, in addition to the active compounds, sucrose as a sweetening agent and certain preservatives, dyes and colorings and flavors.

The active compound, or pharmaceutically acceptable derivative or salt thereof can also be mixed with other active materials that do not impair the desired action, or with materials that supplement the desired action, such as antibiotics, antifungals, antiinflammatories, or other antivirals, including anti-HBV, anti-EBV, anti-cytomegalovirus, or anti-HIV or anti-EBV agents.

Solutions or suspensions used for parenteral, intradermal, subcutaneous, or topical application can include the following components: a sterile diluent such as water for injection, saline solution, fixed oils, polyethylene glycols, glycerine, propylene glycol or other synthetic solvents; antibacterial agents such as benzyl alcohol or methyl parabens; antioxidants such as ascorbic acid or sodium bisulfite; chelating agents such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; buffers such as acetates, citrates or phosphates and agents for the adjustment of tonicity such as sodium chloride or dextrose. The parental preparation can be enclosed in ampoules, disposable syringes or multiple dose vials made of glass or plastic.

If administered intravenously, preferred carriers are physiological saline or phosphate buffered saline (PBS). In a preferred embodiment, the active compounds are prepared with carriers that will protect the compound against rapid elimination from the body, such as a controlled release formulation, including implants and microencapsulated delivery systems. Biodegradable, biocompatible polymers can be used, such as ethylene vinyl acetate, polyanhydrides, polyglycolic acid, collagen, polyorthoesters, and polylactic acid. Methods for preparation of such formulations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The materials can also be obtained commercially from Alza Corporation and Nova Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Liposomal suspensions (including liposomes targeted to infected cells with monoclonal antibodies to viral antigens) are also preferred as pharmaceutically acceptable carriers. These may be prepared according to methods known to those skilled in the art, for example, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,811 (which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). For example, liposome formulations may be prepared by dissolving appropriate lipid(s) (such as stearoyl phosphatidyl ethanolamine, stearoyl phosphatidyl choline, arachadoyl phosphatidyl choline, and cholesterol) in an inorganic solvent that is then evaporated, leaving behind a thin film of dried lipid on the surface of the container. An aqueous solution of the active compound or its monophosphate, diphosphate, and/or triphosphate derivatives are then introduced into the container. The container is then swirled by hand to free lipid material from the sides of the container and to disperse lipid aggregates, thereby forming the liposomal suspension.

This invention has been described with reference to its preferred embodiments. Variations and modifications of the invention, will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the foregoing detailed description of the invention. It is intended that all of these variations and modifications be included within the scope of the appended claims. 

We claim:
 1. A method for stabilizing an oligonucleotide comprising attaching at the 5'-terminus of the oligonucleotide an L-nucleoside of the formula: ##STR2## wherein R is a purine or pyrimidine base and R' is hydrogen, acyl, alkyl, monophosphate, diphosphate, or triphosphate.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the L-nucleoside is 2'-fluoro-5-methyl-β-L-arabinofuranosyluridine.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the L-nucleoside is selected from the group consisting of N₁ -(2'-deoxy-2'-fluoro-β-L-arabinofuranosyl)-5-ethyluracil, N₁ -(2'-deoxy-2'-fluoro-β-L-arabinofuranosyl)-5-iodocytosine), and N₁ -(2'-deoxy-2'-fluoro-β-L-arabinofuranosyl)-5-iodouracil.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the base is selected from the group consisting of 5-methyl uracil (thymine), 5-iodouracil, cytosine, and 5-ethyluracil.
 5. A method for stabilizing an oligonucleotide comprising attaching at the 3'-terminus of the oligonucleotide an L-nucleoside of the formula: ##STR3## wherein R is a purine or pyrimidine base and R' is hydrogen, acyl, alkyl, monophosphate, diphosphate, or triphosphate.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the L-nucleoside is 2'-fluoro-5-methyl-β-L-arabinofuranosyluridine.
 7. The method of claim 5, wherein the L-nucleoside is selected from the group consisting of N₁ -(2'-deoxy-2'-fluoro-β-L-arabinofuranosyl)-5-ethyluracil, N₁ -(2'-deoxy-2'-fluoro-β-L-arabinofuranosyl)-5-iodocytosine, and N₁ -(2'-deoxy-2'-fluoro-β-L-arabinofuranosyl)-5-iodouracil.
 8. The method of claim 3, wherein the base is selected from the group consisting of 5-methyl uracil (thymine), 5-iodouracil, cytosine, and 5-ethyluracil.
 9. A method for stabilizing an oligonucleotide comprising attaching in the interior of the oligonucleoside an L-nucleoside of the formula: ##STR4## wherein R is a purine or pyrimidine base.
 10. The method of claim 9 wherein the L-nucleoside is 2'-fluoro-5-methyl-β-L-arabinofuranosyluridine.
 11. The method of claim 9, wherein the L-nucleoside is selected from the group consisting of N₁ -(2'-deoxy-2'-fluoro-β-L-arabinofuranosyl)-5-ethyluracil, N₁ -(2'-deoxy-2'-fluoro-β-L-arabinofuranosyl)-5-iodocytosine), and N₁ -(2'-deoxy-2'-fluoro-β-L-arabinofuranosyl)-5-iodouracil.
 12. The method of claim 9, wherein the base is selected from the group consisting of 5-methyl uracil (thymine), 5-iodouracil, cytosine, and 5-ethyluracil. 